Butt-wielding Buttheads at the Chron

This just slipped into our inbox from a mole at the Chron. It was forwarded to the all-staff mailing list by none other than Sharon Stone's former paramour and glurgy TV shill Phil Bronstein:

-----Original Message----- From: [REDACTED] Sent: Wednesday, January 12, 2005 8:15 AM To: Bronstein, Phil Subject: Chronicle SMOKERS

I've written a few times before, but never have seen a response.

I live in the neighborhood and walk to work in the financial district every week day. My "commute" takes me by your building on 5th and Mission. I am constantly amazed that your employees that smoke don't have the decency to use the ash trays that are provided. Today, I was literally hit by a flying cigarette butt as one of your workers casually threw it towards the street. Strangely enough, he was with in two to three steps of the ash tray attached to the wall!

I don't know if you enter on via 5th. If you did, the trash and particularly the cigarette butts are primarily from your staff.

I know that you try to be a "watchdog" in the community. Perhaps you could look a little closer to home (?). Thanks for your consideration.

Wow, that last line must have really stung, since if it weren't for Phil Bronstein this town would be awash in corruption and labor unrest, with trash littering the streets and smokers banned from smoking quietly at their desks like normal human beings. Oh, wait...

Illustration by the SF Weekly's Colin Adams from Sup-ee-oh!, article by Nate Cavalieri and Tommy Craggs.